Holiday PreK Class Gift - Hot Chocolate Cups

So clearly I underestimated how much time I had available to blog. Between two kids, full time work, and the usual holiday craziness, I have very little free time. But now that Christmas is over and I have a little break from work, I wanted to share these super cute cups for JJ's classmates:

In the past, I have used inspiration from pins I have from here and here to make Snowman and Reindeer cups:

I considered making the Santa belt version this year but decided against it because A) I was trying to steer away from Santa/Christmas specific and B) there are 30 kids in his class and it just seemed like a lot of work. Instead, I remembered some versions of personalized Starbucks cups floating around Pinterest and a facebook group I was apart of when I first got my Silhouette Cameo a couple years ago. Knowing that I already had a ton of red cups left over from past Christmases, I had a new plan.

I followed these instructions and downloaded a blank jpeg file of the logo and added the white text on top of the green. Disclaimer: I used the logo for personal/parody use, not to make money or to be confused with the actual Starbucks brand. I downloaded the Santana Black font to get a close match to the old Starbucks logo (I read that you can use Gibson and Freight Sans too, but I was looking for something free). 

The software that comes with the Silhouette makes it easy to curve the text. I created a whole sheet, then printed it on full sheet shipping labels which are really just a full sheet sticker. Once printed, I sent the sheet through my Silhouette which cut the circles out. JJ helped me put one on each cup and we filled them with a hot chocolate pack and some Hershey kisses. The most time consuming part was finding the right font. The rest was simple, but repetitive. Here's what 30 finished cups looks like!

In the end, they were simple and pretty inexpensive. Next year JJ will be in kindergarten (most likely in public school) and hopefully I can recycle this idea and use the same stickers. I hope the kids liked them and hope you all (if there are any readers left) had a great holiday!

From Placemat to Pillow

Lilly and I were out shopping the other day and made a stop at World Market. While I didn't wind up getting many things (I think I always over-hype WM in my head and when I actually go its sort of a let down...same thing happens with Trader Joes), I saw some really cute placemats and immediately thought back to one of my earliest pins. I remember reading that Bower Power post back before Pinterest existed and I had to save bookmarks to my favorite blog posts. Kids today will never know what that was like!

DIY pillows from Bower Power

I've been wanting some new pillows for my living room for awhile (if you look closely you can see where our dog Mickey has scratched at the square pillows that came with the couch - there are loose threads everywhere), but considering we might be moving, I didn't want to spend a ton of money when we aren't sure what our next living room will look like. These placemats were $4.99 each, and I knew I could make 2 pillows for under $20. A quick stop at Michaels on the way home for some fiberfill and I had two new throw pillows that afternoon.

All you have to do is use a seam ripper or small scissors to open a hole between the two layers of fabric, stuff with fiberfill, and sew it closed.

I used an 8 oz bag of fiberfill for each but probably should have opened a third bag and stuffed them a little more. Also, my stitch work wasn't my best, but its at the bottom and you wouldn't notice unless you looked real close.

When I went to look on the WM website to link the placemats, I couldn't find them but I did see throw pillows in this pattern available for purchase. For $20 that would have been a lot easier, but I was able to make 2 pillows for about $15 ($10 for the mats and $5 for the fiberfill w/coupon).

I am thinking of ordering some new pillow covers for the square came-with-the-couch pillows from etsy, but they would need to be thick to cover the existing pattern. Anyone have any favorite shops for pillow covers? I am thinking of maybe some seasonal covers like this or this and switching them out for Christmas.

I actually have a couple more placemats I bought years ago for the same purpose. Since they were for the office couch (the old army green microfiber monster Joe and I first purchased together probably almost 10 years ago) I just never made it a priority. Now that I have some extra fiberfill maybe I will get those over with this weekend - stay tuned!

DIY Fall Wreath

Happy First Day of Fall! Its still in the 80s and humid here in NJ, but I have been holding off on fall decorating long enough. I pulled out all the fall decor boxes from the attic last week and realized I don't have anything to hang on my door that's not Halloween related. Like I mentioned in my last post, we are thinking of listing our house in the spring so I have been trying to use some of my maternity leave to spruce some things up to make it more appealing for buyers. I just finished up painting the front door (but sort of made it look worse so now Joe has to fix it - oops!) and the outside trim around the door and window. I also washed down the outside lights and got rid of all the scary spider webs. It all looks so nice - its just begging for a new wreath!

I have been pinning non-seasonal wreaths for a bit - like this one, and this one but ultimately decided to use this one as my model:

Everyday Wreath from jennyCmoon on Etsy

I went to Michaels and just sort of wandered around looking for a "V" that would work and then found a coordinating ribbon and flowers. I love how the ribbon, V, and oak leaves all had hints of red and gold. I spent a little over $20 for all of it (including the wire):

First I glued down the V (using some E6000 we already had) and starting laying out where I wanted the hydrangeas to go.

Next I used the wire and ribbon to make a bow, but hated it (way too big!) so started over.

This bow is way too big - time to redo!

Once I was happy with where I placed everything, I wired it to the wreath. It was easiest to start with the bow, then work my way out. In places where I couldn't get it very tight, I followed up with some glue to make sure it was really secure. The leaf steams tucked into the grapevine wreath really well so they were easy.

And here is the finished product (and you can clearly see where I messed up the door - I filled in a crack and could not get it sanded smooth. I figured the paint would hide the imperfections, but I was wrong!):

Once I get the rest of my pumpkins up and some mums on the porch, I will post on more fall decor. I am also itching to do some pumpkin baking - although if I have any chance of fitting into my work clothes in a few weeks perhaps that's a bad idea!

For now I am off to get my first PSL of the season and pray for some cooler less humid weather!

Travel Keepsake Boxes - Part 2

Oh hey there- remember me? It’s been a few months but I’m back with a new post. Not sure why I took the hiatus. I guess I've just been busy enjoying the summer. As Grace mentioned in her last post, we took a week long trip to Duck, North Carolina. There were 17 of us in one house (14 adults & 3 kids) – I’m surprised we all made it out alive!

This post is a revisit to the Travel Keepsake Boxes I made a few months ago. I had linked up the original post to the Pinterest Challenge hosted by YHL & BowerPower.

I finally got around to fixing up the stencils. I tried a new approach at the suggestion of a comment from Julia.  She suggested using a pencil or pen to outline the stencil and then fill it in with a fine brush.

I did something similar. I found this item at AC Moore that had a pen on one side and a brush on the other.

Using the blank side of the boxes - I tapped the stencils down and used the pen side to draw the outlines.

Then I took the stencils off and used the brush side to fill them in.

Much better right? I think so.

I wish I had thought of this option the first time around! Thanks Julia for the tip!

I did have one snafu. After I finished up the three boxes, I had the genius idea to paint over the original, messed up back side. I wasn't paying attention and on the “Greece” box, I painted over new side with the still wet ink. Whomp Whomp.

Oh well. Now that I know the easy way to stencil it, I can just purchase a new box and make another one. 

Disney Dreaming

This week, our extended family is (hopefully) enjoying some beach days and seafood nights in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. By the time you are reading this, Joe and I will have already braved the 8 hour car trip with our 20 month old. I have been doing a lot of googling and prep work for some tips on traveling with toddlers (using mainly this post and this one as inspiration) so I will be sure to do a post on how well (or disastrously) it went once we get back. 

Anyway, although I am on vacation right now, that doesn't stop me from dreaming about and planning my next one! I love to travel and we sort of took a hiatus when JJ came so I am so excited over the idea of taking two vacations in one year. Even more so that the next one will be to the Happiest Place on Earth! This October we will be taking JJ on his first visit to Walt Disney World in Florida. It will be his first time on a plane and our first time going to "the world" with a kid. 

Getting back to the point of my post. Joe has a tendency to leave his pocket change all over the house. Usually it ends up on his nightstand or the kitchen counter, but it pops up in the laundry and sometimes on the bathroom sink as well. It drives me crazy, so a long time ago we designated an old pretzel bin as our change collector:

Definitely not cute, but we tucked it away in a closet so it didn't really bother me:

Once we decided (meaning I finally conned Joe into being on board with) taking JJ in October, I was inspired by this pin to jazz up the jar:

source: Wilbur Road

Of course none of the cabinets or closets in my house are that neat or organized, but I thought the "Disney Fund" jar was adorable and could definitely help my tired looking pretzel jug look a little nicer. I took some Disney scrapbook paper I already had and cut a band to fit around that ugly half-removed label. Then I downloaded the waltograph font and printed out the label. I thought Jay's mouse-ears were cute, so I just cut out a couple from construction paper and backed them with some cardstock to give them some stability. 

Much cuter, right? Before we leave, will bring the bucket to the bank and cash it in and have some extra money for food, snacks, and souvenirs. I am considering getting tickets to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party so I might use the cash towards that. 

Anyone have any tips for travelling to Disney with toddlers? I realize its going to be a much different trip than we were used to (no more drinking around the world in Epcot or multiple trips on the Tower of Terror), but I  know being able to see it all through my son's eyes gives it new meaning. 

Father's Day 2013

Happy Belated Father's Day to any dad-readers out there! I hope you had a wonderful day full of time with your kids, barbecue, and beer (isn't that what all Dads want?). We spent the afternoon at my brother and sister-in-law's house enjoying family, food, and some gorgeous weather. 

One night last week before Joe got home from work I took some updated pics for his "DAD" frame. Look how big my baby has gotten!

7 Months in 2012 and 19 months in 2013

Not my best photography work but I was on borrowed time and it is much harder getting decent shots of a very active 19 month old than it was with a not-yet-crawling 7 month old. 

I also put together a little beer-themed gift to give to the boys at my brothers. I found "Beer Cheese Dip Mix" from the Beer Bread Company at a local store and ran with the idea. While picking up the ingredients for the dip I brought (see below), I also found "Backyard Brew" marinade mix from McCormick Grill Mates and "Cheddar and Ale" pretzel nuggets by Pretzel Pete. 

I packaged them together and gifted them with a 6-pack of some seasonal summer beer. I have no pic with the actual beer because (as usual) I neglected to be prepared and pick the beer up ahead of time, but you get the idea.

Anyway, on to the food...back in December I had the opportunity to snack on a delicious Loaded Baked Potato Dip at a Christmas party my friend Michelle hosted. It was delicious and I have been thinking about it ever since. I knew this would be the perfect chance to attempt it. I googled around, found one that seemed simple, and pinned it last week:

Source: Comfy in the Kitchen, credited to Hormel

It was super easy to make - just gather your ingredients, mix, and bake!

I saved a little bit of the cheese, bacon, and onions to garnish the top. 

The Verdict: Delicious! I don't think it was quite the same version as what I had last year, but still tasty. It can definitely be addicting (especially when paired with salty chips) and its not healthy so you might want to avoid this if you are trying to watch what you eat.

Things to Consider: Not much to say - just that it takes about 45 minutes in the oven so give yourself time for that. And its best served a couple minutes out of the oven.

Loaded Baked Potato Chip Dip

Source: Comfy in the Kitchen

Author: Hormel 

Prep time:  5 mins

Cook time:  45 mins

Total time:  50 mins

Serves: 8

 

Ingredients

• 1 (16 oz) container sour cream
• 1 (3 oz) jar Hormel REAL Bacon bits
• 2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 (8 oz) cream cheese
• 1 cup chopped green onions

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Mix all ingredients well with mixer.
3. Place in an oven safe casserole dish.
4. Bake for 30 mins covered, then an additional 15 mins uncovered.
5. Serve with potato chips!

Notes

Make sure to use REAL bacon bits/crumbles, or you may also make your own bacon bits. Do not use imitation.

DIY Coasters

Sorry we are a little delayed in getting a post out this week. I guess the long weekend just distracted us a bit. I was actually at a conference for work last week too so I feel like I'm still catching up on everything (laundry, cleaning, posts, etc). Anyway, I thought I would finally post about the coasters I made for my work desk a couple months ago. I was inspired by this pin:

Source: Joy Is At Home

I am sort of a neat freak at work. I am constantly dust-spraying my keyboard, filing my paperwork, disinfecting my desk/phone/keyboard, and I have been known to take a paperclip to my mouse to clean out the crevices. Joe thinks its funny that I am so clean at work because he thinks I am the complete opposite at home - not entirely true. I am cleaner/neater at work but our house isn't a disaster, at least not all the time. I just have such limited space at work, and am there for so much time each week, that I want it to be neat and organized. At home I can just close the door to a messy room or cabinet. It doesn't work like that in a little cubicle! With that background, you can see why I needed some coasters for my desk. I start the day with a coffee and usually wind up with another one sometime in the afternoon with the occasional fountain soda thrown in as well. I also try to drink a lot of water throughout the day too. Constant drink rings on my desk were driving me crazy so I thought these coasters would help with that problem. I like that the lip would catch the condensation.

I picked up some terra cotta pot saucers and spray primer from Home Depot (I actually used the spray primer for the Mother's Day Thumbprint Bug Pots too).

I gave them all a light coat, paying more attention to the sides and top than the bottom.

I was a little worried because some of the edges looked like they didn't pick up any primer:

but I decided to just leave it be and not give it another coat of primer. After they fully dried, I painted them with some acrylic paint I already had. 

The first coat was streaky, as you can see below.

So I wound up giving them two more coats - using a foam brush for the last coat. I got much better coverage that way.

Next I pulled out a couple pieces of scrapbook paper I had in my craft closet and cut out circles once again using my Creative Memories cutters. 

I used some (really old) Mod Podge I had to glue them in and coat the tops. This is where things started to go down hill. I am not sure if it was because the Mod Podge was old, or I should have been using something else, or it was a user-error, but the paper started to bubble. 

I tried my best to flatten the paper out but I wasn't getting very far. I decided to just leave them to dry and deal with it the next day if the paper wouldn't cooperate. Once they dried, them seemed to flatten out and looked much better. I gave them three light coats of a matte spray sealer and let them dry completely. Unfortunately, I left them out in the garage a little too long and in the reach of JJ. He ran into the garage to go for his bubble mower (or so I thought), but picked one up and dropped it.

It chipped and I was disappointed because it was my favorite pattern. I thankfully made more than I needed so all was not lost. The last step was to attach some felt on the bottom. I had some leftovers from JJ's felt Christmas tree and just rubbed some chalk along the bottom rim of the coaster and used it to make a circle on the felt. I cut out the circles and hot glued them on. For whatever reason, I didn't take any pics of this process, but here is the finished product.

Be careful when using hot glue. I went to pull off one of the "strings" that always appear when gluing and took some of the paint off:

They definitely aren't perfect, but I thought they came out cute. 

And here they are in action on my desk at work:

Forgive the crappy phone pic.

There's nothing like a fresh fountain Diet Coke in the middle of a long afternoon.

I have been using them for a couple weeks now. They are holding up pretty well, but I am starting to regret not giving them a second coast of primer. I can see a couple bubbles in the paint and know that I could probably pick at them and chip it off. I wasn't really expecting them to have long lives to begin with once I saw the quality of the Mod Podge I was using, but I have a couple spares so there are replacements if I need them. They help brighten up my desk and I am happy to not have to wipe down the surface of my desk as often as I was. Joy had some helpful tips in her post (and I wished I had distressed the edges of my paper like she did - looks so much more polished!) so check it out. I will probably do an update post after a couple more months of use so check back if you are interested.